Tom Hardy brings out Marvel’s darker side with ‘Venom’

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In the new movie Venom, British actor Tom Hardy plays an investigative journalist whose body is invaded by an alien with violent instincts who feeds on a diet of human flesh. (Read our review here.)

It is a darker tale from the Marvel Comics superhero universe than what audiences have seen in recent films such as The Avengers series.

“His version of doing good is just eating,” Hardy said of Venom. “The world is an all-you-can-eat buffet, and human beings are on the menu, so that’s not great for humanity as your hero.”

The story is a Jekyll-and-Hyde tale where Hardy’s journalist character, Eddie Brock, tries to keep Venom’s bad behaviour under control.

Hardy said Venom has similarities to several classic monster movies.

“There’s an element of original Ghostbusters, a slightly 1980s retro vibe to it, which I enjoyed, and a bit of Teen Wolf and American Werewolf In London vibe to it,” Hardy said.

Tom Hardy. Photo: AP

The star said he also received input from his 10-year-old son on how to play the role.

“My son’s a massive fan of Marvel and Venom, and he was very clear about what I can and can’t do,” Hardy said at the movie’s red carpet premiere, adding, “It’s very odd being told what to do by your son who’s 10 and him being right.”

Venom co-stars fellow British actor Riz Ahmed as villainous corporation owner Carlton Drake and Michelle Williams as Brock’s former girlfriend. It is the first time Oscar-nominated Williams has starred in a superhero movie.

Venom was created by comic book writer Todd McFarlane, who invented the new character after he struggled to draw Spider-Man.“Venom is a byproduct of me wanting to draw a blue and red Spider-Man costume,” McFarlane said.